Texas Tech star forward JT Toppin has a torn ACL in his right knee and will miss the remainder of the season, the school said Wednesday.
Toppin, a 6-foot-9 junior, suffered the injury while driving to the basket with 6:03 remaining in Tuesday’s 72-67 loss to Arizona State. He went down in a heap, holding his right leg. An MRI confirmed the injury.
The preseason All-America selection, who is averaging 21.8 points, needed assistance to limp off the court and didn’t return. He finished with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks.
He leads the No. 13 Red Raiders in scoring, rebounding (10.8 per game) and blocked shots (1.7 per game).
Only once before has a Big 12 player finished a season averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. That was Oklahoma‘s Blake Griffin in 2008-09.
The Red Raiders had been building momentum, with Toppin playing a pivotal role in their recent performances. His ability to control the paint, defend multiple positions, and generate second-chance opportunities made him one of the team’s most reliable performers.
Losing a player of his caliber at this stage of the season presents both tactical and emotional challenges. Head coach and staff will now need to adjust rotations, potentially giving younger players expanded roles and looking for new scoring options to compensate for Toppin’s production.
A torn ACL typically requires several months of recovery, effectively ending Toppin’s current campaign. While the focus now shifts to rehabilitation, the long-term outlook can still be positive. Many athletes return from ACL injuries with proper medical care and conditioning programs.
For Texas Tech, the immediate goal will be maintaining competitiveness in conference play and staying resilient despite adversity. Depth and adaptability will be tested as the Red Raiders aim to stay on track without one of their standout performers.
Support from teammates, coaches, and fans is expected to play a key role as Toppin begins his recovery journey. With modern sports medicine advancements, the path back to full strength is well-established, though patience and discipline will be essential.
Toppin’s 47 career double-doubles are the second-most among active players, trailing the 51 by Michigan‘s Yaxel Lendeborg. Toppin has 16 double-doubles this season and 35 in his 58 games for the Red Raiders over two seasons.
After transferring from New Mexico, where Toppin played as a freshman in 2023-24, the Texas native averaged 18.2 points and 9.4 rebounds last season to help Texas Tech get to the NCAA tournament Elite Eight. He was selected as the AP Big 12 newcomer of the year and was a second-team All-America pick.
Toppin is averaging 17.1 points and 9.7 rebounds in his 94 games overall.
Texas Tech (19-7) next plays Kansas State on Saturday and Cincinnati on Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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